COLORADO SPRINGS vs. COLORADO CITY.

COLORADO SPRINGS vs. COLORADO CITY.

The water fight between Colorado Springs and Colorado City. Colo., will probably have to go to the Supreme court of the State. The brief and argument of the defendant Colorado City in error, as filed in the court of Appeals, enters into a history of the case, and shows that in 1878 the city of Colorado Springs decided to build a waterworks system and take water from a reservoir situated on Pike’s peak. To get the water to the consumers in Colorado Springs it was necessary to run the pipe lines over a high mesa or through the towns of Colorado City and Manitou. An attempt was made to run the pipe lines through these towns, but, as it was stopped, an agreement was entered into to the effect that, if the pipes were allowed to be placed under the streets and alleys of these towns, the Colorado Springs Water company agreed to furnish the two towns with water for fire and municipal purposes free of charge, and to the private inhabitants of the towns at the same rate the people of Colorado Springs were charged. On May 23, 1902, the council of Colorado Springs passed an ordinance requiring Colorado City to pay for its fireplugs and for the water used for municipal purposes and increasing the water rate on the private consumer twenty-five per cent, above the rate paid by the people of Colorado Springs. The matter was taken to the courts of El Paso county, and a ruling was obtained in favor of the plaintiffs, the people of Colorado City. An appeal was entered, and is now awaiting settlement in the higher court.

The water fight between Colorado Springs and Colorado City. Colo., will probably have to go to the Supreme court of the State. The brief and argument of the defendant Colorado City in error, as filed in the court of Appeals, enters into a history of the case, and shows that in 1878 the city of Colorado Springs decided to build a waterworks system and take water from a reservoir situated on Pike’s peak. To get the water to the consumers in Colorado Springs it was necessary to run the pipe lines over a high mesa or through the towns of Colorado City and Manitou. An attempt was made to run the pipe lines through these towns, but, as it was stopped, an agreement was entered into to the effect that, if the pipes were allowed to be placed under the streets and alleys of these towns, the Colorado Springs Water company agreed to furnish the two towns with water for fire and municipal purposes free of charge, and to the private inhabitants of the towns at the same rate the people of Colorado Springs were charged. On May 23, 1902, the council of Colorado Springs passed an ordinance requiring Colorado City to pay for its fireplugs and for the water used for municipal purposes and increasing the water rate on the private consumer twenty-five per cent, above the rate paid by the people of Colorado Springs. The matter was taken to the courts of El Paso county, and a ruling was obtained in favor of the plaintiffs, the people of Colorado City. An appeal was entered, and is now awaiting settlement in the higher court.